MIT New Media Project

MIT's Comparative Media Studies Program has a new research project called Project New Media Literacies. This project is designed to examine the most effective ways to teach students how to posses the appropriate skills they need to keep up with our ever changing media world. The position the group is standing behind and perhaps whats most important to them is that we all get a good understanding of the skills it takes to be literate in this world of technology advances.

New Media Skills

This video by the NML staff Click hereis full of information that makes the viewer think. I believe these new media skills are valuable and should definitely be put to use! I believe that everyone especially students should recognize, appreciate, and utilize these skills!

Most of the technology advances that I use are things such as laptops, ipods, and of course my cell phone. Personally, I value multitasking, visualization, and judgment. These are all most definitely the 21st century skills that will be needed to be effective artists, workers, and even citizens.

I imagine that as I get older and farther into my profession, I will acquire the other skills listed because I will definitely make it a point to keep up with new ways of learning and embrace new technology that will help me along my way.

The Networked Student

Click here The Networked Student is certainly interesting. I think that the learning world for students could very well be like this in the future. I believe that this is what we need to prepare for because this is going to be the best way for everybody to learn.

As for teaching goes, this video only proves that we better be ready because our 21st century students are going to be expecting that we know, and are current in, the latest technologies and information.

I think that students do need teachers and guidance because we need to be the ones to teach them how to communicate effectively and organize important information. Although information is made available to them at anytime and at anyplace, students still need teachers to help them utilize this information in the most effective way possible.

How we dream Parts 1 and 2

In part one, Click here Mr. Miller gave us information on his likes and dislikes in the world of accessing information. There were tons of online resources that I didn't know about that are available on the web. It is great that so many teachers are dedicated and taking the time to explore these options to not only benefit themselves, but for the benefit of their students.

Richard Miller explained that research is now less fundamental, more incremental, and definitely more visual. It is great that teachers are recognizing this and realizing that this is how our young generation learns and this is how information is made interesting to us.

Part two was definitely interesting to me. The way in which we communicate with each other, learn new material, and get the motivation to look up new material is all electronic now. I agree with Mr. Miller that this is the best and soon will be the only way to keep up with the ever growing population around us.

Ipods in Instruction

Using Ipods in instruction at Duke is an excellent idea in my opinion. I think we should all have to do this! It is super convenient for students and can be used to hear lectures and do assignments electronically! This could really catch on, I think the concept of renting and returning could really take off and should be an option here at South! Here is the link so you can check it out and read more. Click here

Ipods can be useful in classrooms and also to school faculty and staff members! Robert Craven, the education technology coordinator for the Orange County Department of Education in California shares his opinions on the significance and importance that ipods in the classroom can have. He explains that administrators can point out development activities, record meetings, and even keep contact information on all students, faculty members, and local businesses. But, he says, the real benefit of incorporating ipods in the classrooms will benefit the students. To read more Click here

All About iTunes University

iTunes University Click here is very interesting and I actually learned alot about it while doing this assignment. iTunes University makes it easier for students to learn while living also fulfilling their other priorities. If students need information then it is made available to them free anytime, anywhere. You can imaging how convenient this is to students especially as our lives become more hectic.

Hours of spending time daydreaming in a classroom while time is wasting and nothing is being recalled is reduced at iTunes. Students can download whatever they need to their ipod or iphone and listen to the information whenever and wherever it will be most convenient and probably most beneficial to them.

What I learned from Dr. Alice Christie

On Dr. Christie's website Click here there are many tips and tools that can be useful to any teacher. My favorite part of the website, and the one that I thought could be really useful to teachers, was her digital camera project ideas. These ideas can be really useful to not only teachers, but also students.

She organizes this part of her website by listing the ideas and also giving a photographic link. Her ideas are great and include using images in multimedia presentations to introduce students to new subjects, taking videos and pictures of class field trips, and recording new experiences such as community service projects so that the students can reflect on them. These are all great ideas because students are interested in stuff like this and being able to watch themselves later on a digital recording may motivate them a little more!

Comment4kids Week 4

I loved listening to Lisa's story about the beach! He was very descriptive and good at storytelling. He used the word "idyllic" in the story a couple times which is a word I think he learned while participating in this assignment! Very creative I must say!

Comment4kids Week 3

On this post I commented on a child named Ray's blog. He described his favorite superhero as being red and yellow so I immediately thought Superman of course! Hope I was right! He was very good at descriptive writing in my opinion!

Comment4kids Week 2

Mrs. Kathy Cassidy's Classroom blog was terrific! She has a very creative and enthusiastic class. I commented on a picture they took of some of the kids standing on a monkey bar type piece of playground equipment. The question under the picture asked "What types of patterns do you see in the picture"? There were tons of course with the lines of the steps and the colors of the playground itself. Very nice!

All About Wikipedia!

I was warned early on by a former teacher that Wikipedia could not be trusted, so this did not come exactly as a shock to me. The fact that anyone can change any information is reason enough to avoid it for things such as writing papers. I was shocked to know however, that even Wal-Mart has begun to change stuff about themselves! Wikipedia in my opinion is not a source to be trusted. I think if you use a piece of information from that website you should probably research it a little bit more!

"What I've Learned This Year" Mr. McClung

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this because it is something I am in agreement with. I liked his thoughts and opinions on what the future teacher should possess as qualities. I think it is important, like he does, that we as teachers are to be forever encouragers not discouragers. It is important that we understand children need guidance as well as academic advising. Telling a child that he or she can not do something can scar them for a lifetime so we need to be cautious of that.Patience will be something we teachers will have to practice daily!

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

Mr. Pausch's lecture was so inspiring. This was by far my favorite video that we were required to watch. I loved the quotes and hearing about his thoughts and hopes for his future as a child. His lecture was inspiring and I thought it was the perfect choice.

My favorite quote that he said was "Brick walls are there for a reason: to show our dedication and to prove how badly we want things". It is the perfect choice of words to describe how you feel when you want something really bad and then there is a set back and you push through it and end up getting what you wanted. You then realize that the obstacle was there for a reason, to show you how badly you wanted whatever it is that you wanted and how strong you are that you obtained it.

Another quote I became fond of was "Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted". This is true in so many ways. When we want something really bad, we generally go after it. We dont necessarily always get exactly what we want however, and that can leave us with negative feelings. It is important, and this quote reminds us, that our efforts are not wasted just because we didn't get what we wanted. We got experience which sometimes is better and may have been just what needed instead.

Mr. Pausch's video and quotes will definitely stick with me. He seemed like such a sweet man and I am sad that this was his last lecture. I am so glad to have watched this and I think it was so great to hear all about his dreams and the dreams of others he helped achieve.

Did You Know 4.0?

Did you Know 4.0 was again very interesting. I really enjoy these little videos because the information is intriguing and helpful. Many young people today overlook the drastic changes in technology and it is so unimaginable to think what is to be done and what is capable of being done with these resources at our fingertips in the near future. These videos help to remind us that technology advances are only going to get more advanced and I predict that the new age resources are going to be ten times more advanced then what we are accustomed to now!

Back to Minnesota and South Dakota for a visit! My presentation!

Karl Fisch: Is It Okay to Be a Technologically Illiterate Teacher?

When reading Mr. Fisch's post, I must say that he was a bit harsh in the way he stated some of his opinions. Of the 7 standards, he really emphasized and made it clear his thoughts on each. It is true that "all teachers should achieve a basic level of technological capability", but in no way should a teacher be embarrassed if they are just now becoming familiar with it.

Our generation of teachers will have that basic understanding, but I think he should have an understanding that some of the teachers that have been around for a while need time and good reason to go back and learn everything that they need to learn to keep up. If they are a good teacher they will, if not then they will struggle. However, I think making a point and motivating people to start a movement can be done a little more tastefully.

"Its Not About the Technology" by Kelly Hines

I agree completely with Mrs. Hines' post. In order to incorporate change in our future classrooms we all need to be willing to learn everyday. This is not to say that it is all about technology, it definitely begins at the learning level. Technology however, is very helpful and will elevate each of our learning experiences. In my opinion, being a great hands on learner is just as important as being a great hands on teacher.

Being on the lookout for new ways in which students can benefit and learn material more efficiently is excellent, but it is truly what is behind a teacher that will make the most difference. Being a great teacher is more important than having new technology resources, and when the two go hand-in hand it can make a world of difference to a student.

Michael Welsh: A Vision of Students Today

After watching A Vision of Students Today, I will have to say that this movie definitely captures my personal college experience. I do exactly what some of the people in the video do, and they are not exactly good habits. I spend way too much time on social networking sites such as facebook, and not enough time as I should be on studying. To add to the video and make it more accurately describe these situations, I would include more about the money college students waste when they become lazy and stop going to classes.

I can definitely relate to the sign one of the guys holds up about buying hundred dollar text books and not even using them. I have done this countless times and sometimes it was because my professor did not prefer to teach out of the book. This was aggravating because I wish that if they anticipated not teaching out of the book, they would have told us and we could have saved a considerable amount of money. Incorporating technology in the classroom will hopefully eliminate some of these problems.

Comment4Kids Comments

After commenting on Moturoa's Blog last week I actually learned alot! The kids in that class all seem so enthusiastic and smart! It seems as though the teacher has a really hands on way of teaching and it is effective! They really seemed to be excited about the comments we posted and I loved reading their feedback!

What I learned From Reviewing Podcast Material

I chose to watch the link to "Integrating ICT into the MFL Classroom" and listened to Joe Dale explain the importance and significance of Podcasting in the classroom. I have learned a great deal from reviewing these materials on podcasts, and agree with what he says. Podcasting can help tremendously in the classroom because children these days are used to these type of technological advances in their everyday lives. Integrating them in the classroom helps to utilize and make interacting with students outside of the class room easy and more effective.

Podcasting in the classroom enhances students creative natures and allows them to be individualists. Also, another great point and perhaps the best point and reason for podcasting to me, is that when a student is absent he or she can have access to what the class did that day and can watch the lesson just as if he or she were there. Mr. Dale also points out that parents have easy access to see exactly what their children are being told and taught in the classroom at the tip of their fingers.